Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez and Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White were both forcibly substituted after a clash of heads at Stamford Bridge. The England international was attempting to run onto a through ball when he collided with Sanchez on the edge of the box, resulting in both of them going down and requiring treatment.
Gibbs-White had only been on the pitch for minutes, having entered the pitch as a substitute at half-time, but had already provided an assist for Taiwo Awoniyi to send the visitors into a 3-0 lead at Stamford Bridge. But he had to be replaced by Chris Wood shortly after the hour mark.
Sanchez and Gibbs-White did not appear to have been hurt to the same degree, as neither required a stretcher as they were taken off.
The Chelsea stopper was first to his feet after a lengthy stoppage, having sustained a sizable cut to his head.
A few minutes later, Gibbs-White sat up and then was able to walk off the pitch, aided by the Forest medical staff.
Chelsea were trailing 3-0 at the time of the double injury and staring at the possibility of a season without Champions League football. A defeat would leave them ninth in the Premier League table, 10 points off fifth-placed Aston Villa.
Though if Aston Villa win the Europa League and finish inside the top five, a sixth Champions League place would open up to English clubs, which Chelsea could reach if they end the season in sixth place.
There is a chance that Chelsea could be without Sanchez if he suffered a concussion, as he would be placed in the league’s concussion protocol.
That involves players being supervised for 24 hours and beginning a six-stage ‘return to play’ process. This starts with an initial 48-hour period of rest with minimal physical and ‘cognitive’ activities, such as working and using screens.
Forest could face a similar situation regarding talisman Gibbs-White as they aim for Europa League glory and bid to avoid relegation.
Victory away to Chelsea would extend Forest’s gap to 17th-placed West Ham to six points with just three games remaining.